COM Components and Imaging Development

The Component Object Model (COM) is the underlying architecture
that forms the foundation for higher-level software services, like those provided
by OLE and ActiveX. COM objects include many of features of ActiveX that makes
it easy to use, but does not include the extra overhead required by ActiveX.

COM objects are very useful for Internet/intranet applications.
There are imaging COM Components available which include a BitmapDataPath
feature, that allows images in any supported raster format to be read from
any URL. In addition, PrintWhileLoad functions display image data as it is
being received from the net, providing Internet programmers with the fastest
way to display the image on the clients screen.

Low-overhead COM objects with minimal DLL dependencies can
be easily used both client and server side.